Beep—
Thankfully, the machine whirred to life as the water purifier turned on. As the cool stream trickled down, Go Hoon hunched over and frantically flicked his tongue. The refreshing water slid down his throat and into his stomach, finally making him feel alive again.
“Nyaaang─”
Letting out a satisfied mewl, Go Hoon shook the droplets off his paws.
Because he’d activated the purifier without a cup, the countertop had turned into a small flood. Fortunately, the system must have had an auto-stop function—after a set amount, the water flow ceased on its own.
Avoiding the pooled water in a wide arc, Go Hoon circled around it and leapt down from the sink as if nothing had happened. Then he calmly walked away from the scene of the incident.
Now that his thirst was quenched, he was, unsurprisingly, hungry. Was there anything to eat? Narrowing his eyes, he searched every corner of the kitchen but couldn’t even find a single bag of chips.
He finally managed to pry open the cabinet right next to the refrigerator and rummaged through its contents. But again, nothing.
What the hell does this guy eat at home? Not even the most basic instant ramen? Staring at the empty cabinet in disbelief, he felt utterly baffled. He would’ve liked to open the fridge, but in this body, that was impossible.
Giving up on the food search, Go Hoon clambered onto the living room sofa and stretched out his body. Judging by the sun high in the sky, he must’ve slept for quite a while, yet he still felt lethargic. Probably because he was drained—he hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday.
Anyway, what now? His mind buzzed with questions, but his eyelids grew heavier. He blinked slowly. Doing nothing in the quiet stillness naturally made him sleepy.
Step, step—
That’s when he heard it—faint noise approaching from afar. His large pink ears, wrapped in gray fur, perked up instantly.
No doubt about it. Someone was walking toward the door. The heavy footsteps eventually stopped at the entrance.
Go Hoon bolted upright and crouched low, creeping toward the armrest of the sofa. His jet-black pupils widened into circles, filling his bright blue eyes.
Beep beep—
Flattened beneath the armrest, he peeked out just enough for his eyes and nose to stick out. As the door opened, Bae Jung-yoon stepped inside. The moment their eyes met—and Bae Jung-yoon gave him a gentle smile—all of Go Hoon’s tension melted away before he realized it.
“You’re awake?”
Bae Jung-yoon greeted him softly, holding something large and bulky in his arms. From the unopened packaging sticking out of the box, it looked like he’d gone on quite the shopping spree.
“I went out for a bit to buy stuff for Kkongddeok-i. You were okay by yourself, right?”
That overly affectionate name wormed into his ears. Still not used to the cutesy nickname, Go Hoon raised his upper body and stared at Bae Jung-yoon without a word.
Judging by the contents bulging out of the boxes, everything seemed to be cat supplies. But it was excessive.
That first box wasn’t the end of it. Bae Jung-yoon went back out three more times, each time returning with more packages until the entrance was piled high with bags and boxes.
This was total overspending. Was all this really necessary? Maybe Bae Jung-yoon didn’t realize it, but Go Hoon had no idea how long he’d be stuck in this place.
Looking on the bright side, what if he turned back into a human as soon as today? Then all of this would be pointless. A total waste of money. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Unaware of Go Hoon’s inner turmoil, Bae Jung-yoon placed the items in the living room and headed into the kitchen.
“Oh?”
The sigh snapped Go Hoon out of his thoughts. He turned his head and saw Bae Jung-yoon surveying the waterlogged countertop.
“Kkongddeok, did you do this?”
Go Hoon quickly looked away and pretended to be innocent. Lying on the sofa, he crossed his front paws and rested his chin on them.
“How’d you manage to activate the purifier?”
A puzzled murmur floated over.
‘I can’t understand human speech. This is just alien language to me.’
Clinging to that thought, Go Hoon metaphorically covered his ears.
“Were you thirsty? I refilled your water bowl this morning, you know. You should’ve just drunk from that.”
Surprisingly, instead of scolding him, Bae Jung-yoon spoke gently. And that was it. He didn’t say anything more—just quietly cleaned up the mess with a dry towel.
Once back in the living room, he began opening the boxes one by one. The first item to appear was a large plastic container.
‘What the hell is that?’ As Go Hoon looked on with suspicion, Bae Jung-yoon picked up a large bag and poured its contents into the bin. Two full bags, no less. Curious, Go Hoon approached, and Bae Jung-yoon looked down at him.
“This is your bathroom now.”
‘That? That’s a bathroom?’ You’ve got to be kidding. He was so dumbfounded he couldn’t even muster a proper reaction.
Doing his business in such an open place, on a pile of dirt no less? Not a chance. ‘Let’s see if I ever use that damn thing.’
Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Go Hoon turned his head away with a sharp twist. Bae Jung-yoon didn’t notice and continued unboxing more items.
Among them were cat treats and food, but Go Hoon deliberately avoided looking at those. Every time his mouth watered, his pride took a hit. So he stubbornly fixed his gaze elsewhere.
Since everything was made for cats, all the items had a cute, dainty design. Definitely not his taste. With a disapproving gaze, Go Hoon scanned the area until his eyes locked onto something Bae Jung-yoon was assembling.
What he was putting together at the moment was a tent-shaped hideaway. Now that didn’t look so bad. It resembled a miniature camping tent, scaled down in size. The material wasn’t the usual synthetic fabric but a linen-like cloth, which actually gave it a cozy vibe.
Curious, Go Hoon walked up with his nose twitching. The scent of the outside world clung to the fabric, stirring something peculiar in his nostrils, which twitched uncontrollably.
“You like this one?”
Bae Jung-yoon, noticing him, set the now-assembled hideout on the floor. Then he stared intently at Go Hoon with those dark, gentle eyes.
‘What’re you staring at, punk?’ Go Hoon froze, holding his ground as he locked eyes with him. They stared each other down, blue eyes against black, until Bae Jung-yoon slowly rotated the hideout’s entrance toward him and nudged it in his direction.
“Go on. Try it out.”
Bae Jung-yoon encouraged him with an expectant look, clearly hoping he’d use it.
After a brief pause, Go Hoon finally gave in with a reluctant air and stepped forward. He raised one paw and tapped the entrance lightly. As expected, the material felt soft to the touch.
Satisfied with the inspection, Go Hoon relaxed and slipped both front paws inside. The plush feel wasn’t bad. The size was just right, too—his body would fit perfectly snug inside.
After a few more cautious sniffs, he suddenly leapt into the tent.
“Well? You like it?”
Bae Jung-yoon asked in a low whisper, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he watched.
“Yaaang.”
‘Not bad,’ Go Hoon replied, lifting his gaze. Yeah, he actually liked this one. It wasn’t half-bad at all.
He didn’t know how long he’d end up staying here, but he’d already been feeling the need for a private space. This was perfect for some alone time.
Besides, the inside was soft and warm, making it an ideal spot to rest. Go Hoon settled in fully, lying on his belly as he claimed the space.
“Hold on a second.”
Looking pleased, Bae Jung-yoon disappeared into a room, only to reemerge soon after with a blanket in hand.
“Come out for just a moment. I’ll lay this down underneath.”
Before he could even lift himself, Bae Jung-yoon gently grabbed his torso and set him down on the living room floor. Then he neatly folded the thick blanket and spread it out at the base of the tent.
“All done.”
The moment Bae Jung-yoon stepped back, Go Hoon darted right back into the hideout. The addition of the microfiber blanket made the small space even cozier. And judging by the lingering scent, the blanket must’ve been one Bae Jung-yoon had used.
‘Even his damn scent smells nice,’ Go Hoon thought, unknowingly burying his nose into the fabric like a pervert sniffing underwear.
As if on cue, Bae Jung-yoon reached over and gently petted Go Hoon’s soft head.
“Just stay put and rest there, okay?”
With that, he continued pulling out smaller items—food and water bowls, toys—and set them up one by one.
From his spot in the hideout, Go Hoon lay sprawled out, watching Bae Jung-yoon bustle around. He couldn’t take his eyes off the focused expression on the man’s face. Then, slowly, his attention drifted to the various items spread around the room.
Most of them looked self-explanatory, but there were a few he couldn’t figure out.
One in particular caught his eye—a strange object shaped like an ‘L’, made out of several folded layers of cardboard. ‘What the hell is that?’ Tail flicking slowly, Go Hoon rose and cautiously approached it.
As usual, he circled around the object, sniffing all over. It must be some feline instinct to smell everything first—his body moved naturally, guided by habit.
Predictably, the scent of cardboard stung his nostrils. But somehow, he had a hunch about what to do with it.
Drawn in by some primal urge, he reared up on his hind legs, extended his hidden claws, and began to dig into the corrugated surface with both front paws.
Tap, tap—his hooked claws snagged the rough texture with rhythmic thuds. A strange, satisfying sensation rippled through him, like scratching an itch he hadn’t realized he had. ‘Oh… this is actually kind of fun.’
So immersed in the sensation, Go Hoon didn’t notice Bae Jung-yoon watching with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. The tapping sounds continued—tap, tap, tap, tap—as he kept at it, utterly focused.
Meanwhile, the mountain of boxes in the living room had dwindled, leaving only one large box unopened. Bae Jung-yoon carefully slit the tape with a utility knife.
Something heavy emerged from within. Its sheer size made Go Hoon pause his scratching and approach with interest.
Inside was a rectangular pet carrier. Made of sturdy-looking plastic, it had metal grates on both the front and top, offering a clear view of the interior.
Bae Jung-yoon opened the top, the front gate, and the lid in sequence, inspecting the inside thoroughly before fastening the buckles again. Then he grabbed the handle and lifted it to check its weight.
Go Hoon sat still, watching it all unfold. Then, their eyes met.
“Alright, Kkongddeok. Let’s go.”
‘Go?’
“Aowng?”
‘Go where?’ Go Hoon blinked up at Bae Jung-yoon with wide, round eyes.
